Electric lamp support



Aug. 2, 1966 w. R. DITSWORTH ETAL 3,264,468

v ELECTRIC LAMP SUPPORT Filed Sept. 6, 1963 I k Mb /|2 INVENTOR. WALTER R. D] T S WORTH ALFRED .I GAS/(ELL ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,264,468 ELECTRIC LAMP SUPPORT Walter R. Ditsworth, Baileyville, and Alfred J. Gasltell,

Frecport, Ill., assignors to Honeywell line, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 307,169 2 Claims. (Cl. 24052.1)

The present invention is directed to an improved flange base electric lamp support which utilizes a minimum number of parts and the same number of parts for supporting a single lamp or a plurality of lamps and which is characterized by the simple manner of introducing and removing a lamp from the support.

Two desirable features of a support for flange base electric lamps are a minimum number of parts coupled with ease of fabrication and assembly thereof and ease of introduction and removal of a lamp from the support. These features are incorporated in the present invention along with the further feature of providing a support for a single flange base electric lamp or a support for a plurality thereof utilizing the same number of parts in both supports.

Essentially these features are incorporated in the combination of a thin elastomer sheet member with an opening or openings therein which are smaller than the body of a flange base electric lamp and a plate member with an opening or openings therein which are larger than the body of a flange base electric lamp and assembling the members together so that the openings are coaxial and so that a support is thereby provided whereby a lamp can be easily disposed in an opening with the flange of the lamp engaging one of the members thereby limiting its position and the body of the lamp frictionally held in position in the opening in the sheet member. The few parts are simple to fabricate and assemble and the combination lends itself to ease of introducing and removing a lamp therefrom as well as allowing for a single or multiple lamp support utilizing the same number of parts in either form of support.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flange base electric lamp support comprised of few parts which are simple to fabricate and assemble.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a flange base electric lamp support which is characterized by the ease of introducing and removing a lamp therefrom.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a flange base electric lamp support either for a single lamp or for a plurality of lamps which utilize the same number of parts.

These and other objects will become more apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims taken in conjunction with the drawing.

In the drawing, a support for a flange base electric lamp incorporating the present invention is disclosed and comprises a plate member 10, a thin elastomer sheet member 12, and another plate member 14 which are assembled together in a suitable manner for supporting a lamp 16. As shown in the drawing, the support has provisions for supporting two lamps in the circular openings a, 12a, and 14a of the members 10, 12, and 14, respectively, although provision can be made to support a single lamp or any number of lamps in columns and rows or random pattern, the number being limited only by the dimension of the members. The openings 10a and 14a are larger than main body 16a of the lamp 16 while the opening 12a is smaller than the body 16a. In the left hand portion of the drawing, the lamp 16 is in position in the support with the flange 16b thereof engaging the member 10. Further, as shown in the left hand portion of the drawing, the peripheral portion 12b surrounding the opening 12a of member 12 engages the body 16a of the lamp 16 and frictionally 3,264,468 Patented August 2, 1966 "ice holds it in place. Thus the combination of the flange 16b of the lamp 16 cooperating with surface 10b of member 16 and the peripheral portion 12b surrounding the opening 12a of member 12 cooperates to position and hold the lamp 16 in place. Because the peripheral portion 12b surrounding the opening 12a of member 12 is displaced from its normal position when the body 16a of lamp 16 is associated therewith, counterbore 14b is provided in plate member 14.

An electrical connection can be made to member 10 if it is metallic and thereby to the flange 16b and a separate connection to head 160 of lamp 16 to provide an electrical circuit. If the lamps in the support need not be electrically isolated, the preceding electrical connections are satisfactory. However, if the lamps are to be electrically isolated, then provision can be made for a printed circuit on the surface 10b of member 10 as is well-known in the art.

It is a simple operation to dispose a lamp in the support and to remove it therefrom. Thus a lamp need merely be pushed into position so as to be frictionally held by member 12 and pushed or pulled from position so as to be disassociated from member 12. Because the peripheral portion 12b surrounding the opening 12a of member 12 engages the body 16a of the lamp 16 to provide a slight inding therebetween, a relatively higher force is required to remove the lamp 16 from the support than is necessary to introduce it. However, no appreciable total force is required to remove the lamp 16 from the support and it can be easily done by pushing the lamp 16 out from above or pulling it out from below without the need of tools of any kind and without danger of breakage of the lamp.

It will be noted that dimensional variations in the opening 12a of the member 12 and the body 16a of the lamp 16 can be tolerated and are not critical because of the manner in which the lamp 16 is supported by the member 12. Further, member 12 in supporting the lamp 16 in this manner also provides a certain amount of shock protection as well as holding the lamp in place against the effects of vibration.

It is apparent that a support for a single lamp or a support for a plurality of lamps can be provided both in columns and rows or in random pattern as the situation warrants merely by providing the proper size members 10, 12, and 14. Thus the invention has particular merit as a multiple lamp support because all that need be added over and above a single lamp support is adequate size of the members 10, 12, and 14 and the proper number of and location of the openings.

While the invention has been disclosed with the member 12 being disposed or made a prisoner between a plate member 10 and another member 14, the member 14 could be dispensed with if the increased protection afforded the lamps by the member 14 is not required and if it is not needed to secure the member 12 to the member 10 and the member 12 is merely fastened to the member 10 by an adhesive or any other suitable manner.

From the above description, it can be seen that a patentably novel and unique flange base electric lamp support has been disclosed which is formed of a minimum number of parts easily fabricated and assembled in which the lamps can be easily introduced and removed and which particularly lends itself to both single and multiple lamp support.

We claim:

1. A support for a flange base electric lamp comprising: a first metal plate member having an opening therethrough larger than the body but smaller than the flange of a flange base electric lamp; a thin elastomer sheet member having an opening therethrough smaller than the body of the lamp; and a second plate member having an opening therethrough substantially'the same size as that contained in:

said first plate member and further having a coaxial counterbore; said first plate member, said sheet member and said second plate member being assembled together with said sheet member between said first and second plate members with all the openings being coaxial and with the counterbore adjacent said sheet so that the lamppan be slidably disposed into the assembly with the flange of the r lamp can :be slidably disposedinto the assembly with the.

' flange of the lamp engaging plate member to provide 'one lamp engaging said first plate member-to provide one of t the, conducting means for the lamp and the body of the lamp being frictionally held and supported by the peripheralportion surrounding the opening in said sheet mem- 1 her, said portion being displaced by the body into the: counterbore of said second plate memberand so .that their '15 coming the friction between the body of the lamp and the. peripheral 'portion'surroundin'g the opening in said sheet lamp can be slidably removed from the assembly by over member.

2. A support for a flange base electric lamp comprising:

a metal plate member having an opening therethrough slightly larger than the body but smaller than the flange; of a flange base electric lamp and a thin elastomer sheetg;

said plate member and said sheet member being assembled together with a portion of said sheet member overlying a 7 portion of the opening in said plate member'so that the of the conducting means for the lamp and the body" of the lamp engaging the portion of saidsheet member and frictionally'held: thereby in theassembly and so thattthe lamp can be slidably removed fromthe assembly by overcomingthe friction between the body of the! lamp and the portion of said sheet member.

References Cited by therExaminer UNITED. STATES PATENTS NORTONTANSHER, Primary Examiner. 25 CHARLES R.-RHODES,{Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SUPPORT FOR A FLANGE BASE ELECTRIC LAMP COMPRISING: A FIRST METAL PLATE MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH LARGER THAN THE BODY BUT SMALLER THAN THE FLANGE OF A FLANGE BASE ELECTRIC LAMP; A THIN ELASTOMER SHEET MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH SMALLER THAN THE BODY OF THE LAMP; AND A SECOND PLATE MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE AS THAT CONTAINED IN SAID FIRST PLATE MEMBER AND FURTHER HAVING A COAXIAL COUNTERBORE; SAID FIRST PLATE MEMBER, SAID SHEET MEMBER AND SAID SECOND PLATE MEMBER BEING ASSEMBLED TOGETHER WITH SAID SHEET MEMBER BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATE MEMBERS WITH ALL THE OPENINGS BEING COAXIAL AND WITH THE COUNTERBORE ADJACENT SAID SHEET SO THAT THE LAMP CAN BE SLIDABLY DISPOSED INTO THE ASSEMBLY WITH THE FLANGE OF THE LAMP ENGAGING SAID FIRST PLATE MEMBER TO PROVIDE ONE OF THE CONDUCTING MEANS FOR THE LAMP AND THE BODY OF THE LAMP BEING FRICTIONALLY HELD AND SUPPORTED BY THE PERIPHERAL PORTION SURROUNDING THE OPENING IN SAID SHEET MEMBER, SAID PORTION BEING DISPLACED BY THE BODY INTO THE COUNTERBORE OF SAID SECOND PLATE MEMBER AND SO THAT THE LAMP CAN BE SLIDABLY REMOVED FROM THE ASSEMBLY BY OVERCOMING THE FRICTION BETWEEN THE BODY OF THE LAMP AND THE PERIPHERAL PORTION SURROUNDING THE OPENING IN SAID SHEET MEMBER. 